Valor Award Nominees
  •  Neil Wleczyk, Jeremy Lopez, Ben McDonald, and Chris Dorsett 
  •  Williamson Co ESD 5 A Shift

 Fire Chief of the Year Award Nominees
  •  Amy Ramon
  •  Gary Estep
  •  Kevin Hosler
  •  Leonard Mikeska
  •  Marty Wade
  •  Michael Goodreau

Fire Safety Award Nominees
  •  Debra Crafton
  •  Dustin Ledford
  •  Coppell Life Safety Park

Lone Star Achievement Award
  •  Paul Henley
  •  Kevin Hosler
  •  Denton County ESD No. 1
  •  Sachse Fire-Rescue
  •  Texas Commission on Fire Protection

Voting is open until Feb. 9. Click the button below to cast your vote. 

TFCA members are invited to participate in a survey regarding the causes, implications, and management of firefighter stress prepared by researchers at Oklahoma State University. The research team has done extensive work in this area, and their findings have led to positive changes in several departments.  This anonymous survey should take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete and includes one entry to into a drawing for a $100 Amazon e-Gift card.

Leading Into the Future
March 19-22, 2024 | Waco Convention Center, Waco, TX

The Texas Fire Chiefs Association Annual Conference is the signature event of the Texas Fire Chiefs Association and is one of the state’s largest gatherings of fire chiefs, fire service leaders, and decision-makers.

The conference attracts hundreds of attendees from all regions of the state each year. Our attendees are fire chiefs, assistant fire chiefs, deputy chiefs, battalion chiefs, training officers, fire fighters, and city department executives who work together and get positive results. Come meet and network with top leaders in the fire service, learn from those who are foremost in their divisions who are winning awards and guiding others, and join in the tough discussions. Develop relationships which push through legislation and team up across borders to aid one another. Come witness and celebrate with those who have been called out and awarded valor and honor in the line of duty, and cheer for the one who has been nominated and will be name Fire Chief of the Year. You won’t want to miss it!

This webinar, hosted by the International Association of Fire Chiefs, will cover the critical aspect of retaining an adequate number of trained volunteers to respond to emergencies, as well the actions necessary to overcome periods of low staffing.

This high-energy program will address the hottest issues and challenges that company officers face in today’s Fire Service. Topics include communication, trust, ethics, diversity, generational challenges, CISM, accountability, and social media to name just a few. Dates and locations have been announced for all the Company Officer Symposiums in 2024.  Click the button below learn more and to register.

The Best Southwest Cities Emergency Management and Fire Training are hosting an Active Shooter Response Summit on March 6-7, 2024 at IBOC Church (7701 S Westmoreland Rd, Dallas, TX 75237). Police, Fire, Emergency Management, Dispatch, Hospital, ISD, and other public safety partners are invited to attend to hear firsthand from multiple agencies about active shooter incident response and recovery. The goal of this summit is to share lessons learned that attendees can put into practice in thier home agency to increase their preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities.
 

Presneted in Partnership with First H.E.L.P., co-hosted by the Dona Ana County Sheriff's Office, and endorsed by the El Paso Fire Department, Cypress Creek Fire Department and Texas LODD Task Force, 1st Responder Conferences presents a multi-faceted two-day seminar and networking event for improving the mental health and wellness of our first responders. By discussing the real 21st Century issues our first responders and their families are continually facing, our conference will provide awareness, resources and action items to combat PTSD/PTSI, depression, suicide, addiction, stress, and overall mental health. The event will take place March 7-8, 2024 at the Wyndham El Paso Airport. Download the flyer and click the button below to register.

This course was developed by Coalitions & Collaboratives, Inc and the USDA Forest Service and will be hosted in partnership with Texas A&M Forest Service. Created for current or future mitigation specialists, wildfire program leads, and others who work with residents and their communities to reduce wildfire risk, the Mitigation Best Practices training covers everything from effective communication to strategic wildfire planning. You will come out with the tools to help you engage with local communities and target which prevention strategies are effective.

SOURCE: NFPA
The surge in lithium-ion battery use in homes and vehicles is reshaping the fire service's approach to residential fires.

SOURCE: International Association of Fire Chiefs
Portable fire extinguishers, often overlooked, play a crucial role in both saving lives and mitigating environmental impact by containing small fires and minimizing pollutants released during building fires.

SOURCE: U.S. Fire Administration
On this USFA podcast, Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell recaps last year's accomplishments and discusses USFA priorities for 2024.

SOURCE: Houston Chronicle
"Any form of violence or threat to the physical safety of public servants is a serious concern. This is not a reality that should be tolerated,” says Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña.

SOURCE: KVUE ABC
Roof collapses during a South Austin fire highlight firefighter safety concerns, with lightweight construction materials contributing to increased risks nationwide.

SOURCE: CNN
Before 2023, Eagle Pass Fire Department retrieved six to seven bodies yearly from the Rio Grande. Amid a migrant surge last year, they recovered 47.

This update covers the following:
  • Texas Supreme Court Declines to Hear Case on Eight-Liners
  • Call for Volunteers: Get Involved in TML’s Legislative Process
  • Reminder: Eminent Domain and Local Hotel Occupancy Reporting Requirements
  • Federal Infrastructure Bill Update

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup, hosts Brad and Curt discuss a ruling by the US Seventh Circuit upholding the validity of the Madison Fire Department’s physical abilities test; a firefighter who was arrested for impersonating a peace officer; a gender discrimination suit, and a disability discrimination suit.